Prior art devices for educating individuals as to the multitude of possible geometric shapes and the mathematical theories that underlie the geometric shapes are well known. Many of these devices use struts and/or strings to demonstrate static geometric shapes.
Struts and strands are also used in the prior art to demonstrate the theories behind tension. U.S. Pat. No. 4,371,344, to Gorczyca, discloses three struts that are held in a geometric configuration by a plurality of tension strands. A removable block holds the struts in position while the tension strands are applied.
Although the known prior art discloses a variety of geometric display devices and multi-strut assemblies, nothing known in the prior art discloses or suggests a device where two or more geometric shapes displayed by the device can be readily changed relative to each other so that the relative changes in shape between the two can be visualized. No known prior art shows a device displaying two geometric shapes where one shape is expanded in size while the other shape is contracted. Also, the prior art fails to disclose or suggest a device where the geometric shape defined by cords can be rapidly varied such as by moving tubes relative to each other. It is believed that teaching of younger children is enhanced when visualized geometric shapes can be varied between different structures, such as a cubic structure and tetrahedrons.